What They Deserve
by silver-wings124
Summary: AU - Scully didn't give up William and now the three of them must flee and deal with life on the run. Series of one shots.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first X Files fic, so it could all go horribly wrong. I wanted an alternate universe where Scully didn't give up William for adoption. This will probably turn into one shots following their lives both on the run and eventually up to and beyond IWTB.

* * *

**May, 2002**

Guilty.

Death by lethal injection.

Those words were so concrete. She was in shock. Scully knew this was coming; she wasn't naïve enough to believe he would be acquitted. But she hadn't prepared for this feeling. Her heart had dropped as soon as Doggett answered the phone. Even without his solemn tone she knew the call wasn't going to provide the news she craved. She felt nauseous and light-headed.

Scully pulled herself off the couch and made her way to the nursery. William was blissfully unaware of how his life was going to change. Even though Mulder hadn't had long with William before he went into hiding, he now may never have the chance. Looking down on the sleeping boy she was reminded of the decision she almost made only weeks earlier. At the time she had been convinced that giving her son up was the only way to ensure his safety, but at the eleventh hour she couldn't go through with it. Now she was even more grateful for her last minute decision, she didn't think she'd be able to cope if she lost both of them.

She had always worried this day would come, that one of them would be lost to the cause, but she had never come to terms with it. So much had already been lost in their quest. Scully didn't expect him to be one of them. After all they had overcome; her cancer, his abduction, she thought they would eventually have the chance to be together and happy.

William began to stir; Scully placed a hand on his torso to comfort him. She hoped he stayed asleep so she wouldn't have to deal with him while trying to handle her own distress. She had heard the front door close earlier and was glad she had been left alone to deal with her emotions. When she was satisfied her son wouldn't wake she made her way to room.

An old shirt of Mulder's was on the floor which she quickly put on before burying herself under the bed covers. While his scent had faded from the shirt in the year he had been gone, she still felt comforted.

Crying wasn't something she usually allowed herself, but the overwhelming emotions she was dealing with was constricting. Finally she cried, not only for Mulder, but for what they had lost for the truth and everything they were going to miss out on.

xx

"You can't come with me Scully," Mulder was driving towards her apartment to drop her there before disappearing for good, "it's too dangerous for William."

"We are not be separated again, I don't care if it's dangerous, we are better if we're together," as they were arguing Scully was mentally cataloguing the small things she could grab from her apartment to take with them. She needed to pick up a couple of essential things for herself and William before getting the baby from her mother's house.

"I've been on the run before; it's no place for a baby."

"Mulder. Listen to me. None of us are safe anywhere, even if you leave alone there are still people after our son. Wouldn't you rather us be together and have both of us to protect him?" While she didn't think he would, Scully was terrified that he would leave in the minutes she went upstairs. They arrived at her apartment and she knew she didn't have much time to waste if they were going to evade anyone chasing them to get to Mulder. As she walked to the building she couldn't help glancing back to check he was still there. Finally satisfied she ran inside the building to get her things as quickly as possible.

Mulder rested his head on the steering wheel, trying to ignore the voice in his head telling him to leave. Telling him to distance himself from Scully and William to keep them safe. He knew this would be the most logical option; however there was the irrational part of him that didn't want to leave them again. He had already suffered nearly a year away from them and to be apart any longer didn't seem like a viable option. Scully had briefly told him that she almost gave their son up for adoption and Mulder found him even more inclined to protect them and never put her in that position again.

He saw Scully running out of the building with a small bag and a look of relief on her face.

"You didn't leave," she said as he pulled away from the apartment.

"Never again." He drove towards her mother's house, ready to finally escape and be together.

xx

The former agents had driven for hours. No set destination, just as far from D.C. as possible. They knew that the early days would be the most stressful, constantly checking over their shoulders, paranoid they they would be found. Thankfully William stayed asleep for the entire drive, so the car had been silent for most of the journey.

It was late by the time they decided to find a motel to stay at for the night. Amazingly Scully had some cash in her apartment, which meant they didn't have to worry about finances for a little while. Scully had collapsed on the bed almost immediately, exhausted from not only the day's events but the year of worry was finally catching up on her.

Mulder still had trouble sleeping most nights and lay on the bed listening to her steady breathing. He couldn't believe they were finally together. Granted it wasn't the best circumstances, but they had risked so much over the years it was a relief to not have to worry about her from miles away. Soft cries interrupted his thoughts, the noise emitted from their son in a car seat on the floor.

William hadn't been awake since they left Scully's mother's house so Mulder really hadn't come to terms with the fact that is son was here. Before he went in hiding he'd had very little time to spend with his son. He picked up the baby and was amazed both by how much he had grown and how small he still seemed. Mulder looked at the boy's face and was overcome with emotion. His heart swelled with love as his son focused on his face. A small hand reached up to grab his hair and Mulder moved his hand to touch the small digits.

These moments with his son were some he never thought he would experience. When he left a year ago he dreamed about this moment but never truly believed it would be a reality. He moved the baby to hold him against his chest and kissed the top of his head. It seemed the baby realised there was nothing exciting happening and began to fall back to sleep.

Mulder's eyes watered slightly thinking about how much of his son's life he had missed and was even more determined to not miss another minute. He wasn't going to leave Scully or William again and would do anything to protect the family he finally had.


	2. Chapter 2

They had first headed North towards the Canadian border, picking up a bag full of cash, ID's and passports that had been hidden a year before by the Lone Gunmen. There were multiple identities for the three of them and Scully felt saddened being reminded of the sacrifice the three men had made. Even in death they were still assisting them beyond expectations. The small family had managed to make it over the Canadian border without issue and had continued to drive until they were sure they had some breathing space.

On their second day Scully became paranoid about the chip in the back of her neck. Since they were still not completely certain about what it was she thought it could be used to track them. She became adamant that they remove it to avoid being found. Finding a knife in the motel kitchen she retreated to the bathroom to try and remove it.

"Scully what the hell are you doing?" he tried to grab the knife out of her hand but she held onto it with all her strength.

"We need to get rid of it. They could use it to find us." Scully had moved to the corner of the small bathroom and was trying again to cut the back of her neck. Mulder rushed towards her attempting to wrestle the knife out of her hand. After a few minutes and some small cuts Mulder had possession of the knife.

"You are not taking that chip out. I will not risk your cancer for my safety. We don't know what it does, but don't you think they would have found us by now if they could," Mulder could still see the paranoid fear in her eyes, he'd felt that way enough in his life to recognise it. She eventually relaxed slightly, accepting what he was saying. Mulder placed the knife on the basin and moved to the corner to pull her into his arms.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I just don't want anything to happen to you or William", she was shaking slightly in his arms, the adrenaline from earlier leaving her body. Mulder tightened his arms around her and kissed her hair before pulling back and placing a kiss on lips.

"It's ok, I know you're scared, I'm terrified. But we have to stay strong, for each other and most importantly for our son. Now we should leave, we have a stop to make before we get to the border." Scully nodded, blinking away tears and kissing Mulder before going to get the baby ready to leave. Mulder covered his face with his hands hoping that Scully's fears about the chip wouldn't be fulfilled.

xx

**November 2002**

The six months since they left D.C. had been less stressful than they had been expecting. The first few months they were constantly on edge, mostly because there were still occasional reports on the news asking about their whereabouts. Thankfully the reports only spoke of Mulder and Scully, not their son. While Scully had changed her mind about giving up William for adoption Skinner had forged paperwork to make it look like he had been adopted. Scully didn't know how he had managed it; she guessed the gunmen once again had played a part. She would be eternally grateful for everything they had done for them.

After three months living nomadically they decided to set up temporarily and hopefully find casual jobs to earn some money. They settled on a small town in Canada where they were able to rent a small apartment and both Mulder and Scully were able to acquire jobs didn't require references or background checks. Scully would work at a diner during the day and Mulder worked at a factory overnight, with both of them having weekends off to spend time together as a family.

Despite the constant upheaval William was blossoming. A few months earlier he had begun to take his first steps and once he'd mastered that his speech had begun. Even though his parents couldn't understand much of what he said, they were happy to see that their lifestyle didn't seem to have a negative impact. They knew they would have to make another move soon, staying in one place too long still seem extremely risky. For the moment though they could pretend their life was normal and enjoy watching their son grow.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to everyone that has reviewed, followed and favourited this story. It is greatly appreciated. **

* * *

**June 2003**

The former agents had moved twice in the last six months; still not completely satisfied that staying in one place was safe. They continued their arrangement of alternating work schedules and were saving almost every cent just in case they needed to make a fast getaway in the future. Life had been as normal as it could be recently. The family could almost pretend that they weren't hiding from the government. That was until Scully received a phone call at six o'clock in the morning.

"Hello," she was immediately on edge since Mulder should almost be home and he was the only one with that number.

"Scully, it's me. I think I'm being followed. I'm going to drive around and try to lose them, it could take a while. I need you to pack up our things and be ready to leave as soon as I get back," he hung up before she could answer him, which left her in even more of a panic. She stood frozen for a few minutes before she fully processed the gravity of the situation. They'd thought they were safe. There hadn't been a scare like this for a good six months; they had even been contemplating staying where they were permanently.

Finally she began to rush around the room, grateful that they hadn't accumulated many belongings in their time on the run. Pulling out bags and suitcases she haphazardly threw everything she could find into them. Scully was sad they were being forced to leave this apartment. The family had finally gotten comfortable here and now they had to start over yet again.

As Scully was ransacking the wardrobe drawers she could hear her son waking up in the next room. When she thought about it she was surprised he hadn't woken earlier with all the noise. She stopped her packing and went next door to check on the boy. The two year old sat up in his bed when he saw his mother walk in.

"Mama…" Scully smiled down at her son as he held up his arms to her. Picking him up she held him close, worried that at any moment he would disappear. It had been so long since they had consciously worried about their safety that she forgot how scary the thought of her son being gone could be. Since he had been born she felt a close bond with her son. That wasn't to say he hadn't bonded with his father, he had, but there seemed to be something extra between William and herself. She had been especially grateful for that when Mulder had gone after their son's birth and she felt it was that bond that ultimately meant she couldn't give her son up for adoption.

"We're going on a trip when Daddy gets back. Maybe this time we'll go near the beach, I think you'd love that," she wasn't sure how much her son actually understood, but telling him of their plans made her slightly less anxious. Moving her son to balance on her hip she moved back to her bedroom to finish the packing before emptying the rest of the apartment.

xx

It was another hour and a half until Mulder finally arrived back at their apartment. In that time Scully had packed their small amount of kitchen items, all their combined clothes and William's portable bed, the only piece of furniture they owned. So far they had found apartments that were already furnished and found it unnecessary to make moving constantly more difficult. As she heard Mulder pull up outside, Scully was checking all the money they had saved had been retrieved from its hiding place, they would need every cent depending on how long it took them to set up again.

"Are you ready, Scully?" Mulder quickly opened the door surveying the room. He saw it looking as bare as it had been the day they moved in, he too was sad they had to leave again.

"Yes, can you start taking bags out while I finish this," the couple had made it a habit of leaving apartments without notice and always left two months worth of rent when they did. Because they used different identities with every move they knew it probably wouldn't catch up with them, but they felt bad if they didn't leave some token of appreciation. Mulder had loaded the car in record time, only leaving the three of them in the lounge room. Taking one last look at their makeshift home they made their way to the car ready to start all over again.

Once they were on the nearest highway and saw no evidence that they were being followed the couple began to relax. Mulder reached over the console holding his hand out to Scully. Threading her fingers through his she let her head drop against the headrest and sighed.

"Will we ever be able to stop looking over our shoulders?" looking behind her she saw her son slowly falling back to sleep.

"Hopefully we will, but we continue doing it because of him."


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks again for all your feddback, it is very much appreciated.**

* * *

**February 2004**

Scully could hear whispering as she emerged from sleep. While her eyes were still closed she felt the mattress dip beside her, seconds later she felt two small, sticky hands on her face. Smiling she opened her eyes to see her son's face in front of her.

"Mama, mama…" William began tapping her face in an attempt to get her to sit up. Scully sat up hugging her son to her when she finally noticed Mulder next to her.

"Happy birthday Scully," he held a tray of food in front of her and she manoeuvred her son to sit next to her.

"Mulder, you didn't have to do this," she saw pancakes, eggs and bacon, all foods she didn't usually allow herself to indulge in.

"Of course we did Scully. It's your 40th birthday, it's important," Mulder stole some bacon off her plate and fed it to their son who seemed to inhale it. She smiled at the thought of Mulder and William in the kitchen together, but was slightly worried at the mess they probably created.

"Please tell me there isn't a tornado of destruction in the kitchen."

"Scully did you really expect anything else," he grinned mischievously, "don't worry though; it's my job to clean it up. You can spend time enjoying your birthday presents."

"Ooh, presents, what did you get me Mulder," she watched Mulder leave the room and return with way too many bags. "How much did you buy Mulder? This looks very over the top."

"I could never buy you too much," Mulder waited until she finished her breakfast before moving the tray and handing her the first of the bags. It was a photo album and as soon as Scully opened the first page she began to tear up. The album was filled with pictures of her family that she thought she would never see again, assuming they had been left behind in her apartment. Turning the pages she eventually got up to newer photos that pictured Mulder, William and herself, including ones of William she hadn't seen before. Her son was dressed up in ridiculous costumes, her favourite being the one where he was dressed as an alien. She laughed at that one, knowing Mulder probably found a way to keep the costume.

"This is amazing Mulder. Thank you. How did you get these pictures?"

"Well, I know I kept saying that you and William shouldn't come with me, but when the Gunmen set up the identities for us I also got them to take pictures from your house and make copies. I thought about giving them to you earlier, but this seemed like a better way," Scully grinned at him pulling his head down and placing her lips on his. They stayed like this until William began to squeal in between them.

"Thank you so much Mulder. This is a perfect gift."

"It doesn't end there," Mulder pulled the other bags onto the bed, watching as she looking through them. The rest of the presents included a few pairs of the expensive silk pyjamas she loved, expensive bath salts and a pair of shoes he had seen her looking at a few months ago.

"You really didn't have to do this Mulder," she was amazed at the effort he had gone to and appreciated it more than he could imagine.

"Nonsense Scully, you deserve all this and more. Now William and I are going to clean the kitchen while you enjoy those bath salts and when you're finished we can spend the day any way you choose," Mulder kissed her again before taking their son and leaving her in peace.

xx

The family had ended up spending the day at home; Scully was too relaxed after her bath that she decided staying indoors was the perfect way to spend her day. It was now ten in the evening and both her boys had fallen asleep on the couch, William lying comfortably on his father's chest. The image brought a smile to her face and once again reminded her of how lucky she was. She was grateful that after their scare three months ago their lives had settled down and they could once again pretend that life was normal.

While she had thoroughly enjoyed her day, there had been a constant thought in the back of her mind. She couldn't stop thinking about her mother and brothers who would have loved to celebrate this milestone with her. It saddened her that her mother had missed out on another daughter's 40th birthday; even worse, her mother didn't know for certain whether they were safe. While Scully didn't regret her decision to leave with Mulder, there was always that simmering guilt that she had, in some way, caused her mother to lose another child. The only way to suppress that feeling was to hope that one day in the future she would see her family again.

Standing up off the couch Scully pulled a blanket over her boys, knowing leaving William in Mulder's tight grip was safe. She kissed both their foreheads and went to her bedroom. She hoped that tonight her sleep wouldn't be plagued with nightmares; as it often was after she thought about her family.


	5. Chapter 5

**December 2004**

Mulder quietly closed the door to their son's bedroom, glad the excitement of the day had finally decreased. Even though William was three and a half, it felt like this was the first year he fully understood what was happening. It made their first Christmas back in the US even more special; the downside of that was being woken up at six in the morning by an overly excited toddler.

The family had crossed back over the border two months earlier; feeling it was safe enough to return. Of course they were still wary, but they felt relaxed enough not to be on constant high alert. They had settled in a small town in Washington State where they were able to hold down semi permanent jobs, and rent a decent sized house with a small yard for their son to play in. As Mulder and Scully were getting used to their new lifestyle, William became more aware of their nomadic ways. This made it all the more difficult to move without resistance and a tantrum.

Mulder was constantly thinking about their future. Having to continually uproot his family added to the overflow of guilt he already drowned in. It certainly didn't help that he was a large part of the reason they were on the lam. Scully hadn't thought twice about joining him – she still didn't regret it - but there were always moments that he caught her lost in thought. He knew she often thought about her family - her mother especially - which certainly didn't help his guilt. Mulder was certain Scully would tell he was being ridiculous, but he believed he'd held her back and only continued to do so.

His guilt alleviated slightly when he was interacting with his son. If it wasn't for William he didn't know whether Scully would have bothered to keep him around. Once again she would tell him he was being stupid, but there was always a part of him convinced she deserved better than him. They still didn't know how their child had come to be, but by this point they didn't care. William was a miracle that brought more joy to their lives than Mulder thought possible. He was the number one reason they had to remain hidden and protect him at all costs.

Knowing Scully was once convinced to give William up devastated him. He couldn't imagine how she felt; to lose their beautiful boy and lose another child. Mulder was confident she had made the right decision and was grateful that it seemed as if no one was actively searching for them.

It was inevitable that Christmas welcomed thoughts of his family. Samantha, the sister he had gone on a crusade to find; his mother who couldn't overcome her daughter's disappearance; and his father who was in so deep, it was hard to tell what he was responsible for. Even though Mulder had found some closure regarding Samantha's disappearance, there would always be a part of him that would wonder whether he had done enough, whether all they had sacrificed had been worth it. Hearing footsteps he looked up to see his partner smiling at him.

"Is he asleep?"

"Yes, finally. I think he tired himself out enough to stay down until morning," Scully moved to where he was leaning against the wall. Mulder opened his arms and held her against his chest as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"What are you thinking about?" Scully pressed her ear against his chest as he tightened his grip on her.

"About how nice this place is. It's quiet, lots of open space and we've got pretty good jobs. Staying here for a while doesn't sound too bad," Mulder placed his chin on her head. He loved moments like this, the two of them together without their son under their feet. It reminded him of all those moments during their partnership when it was the two of them against the world.

"I think that's an excellent idea," Scully kissed him softly before leading him to their bedroom, fully intent on taking advantage of the silence.


	6. Chapter 6

**April 2005**

Checking the mail box after work was never exciting, all they ever received were bills and catalogues. But today was different. Mixed in with the electricity bill and one of numerous grocery store flyers was a small white envelope. They never received any personal mail. Why would they when no one knew where they were or what their current names were. This was why seeing both their aliases printed on the front, with no return address made Scully nervous. With the envelope being so thin and light, it was certainly not anything that would put them in immediate danger, but any words on paper could be used to taunt or terrify them. Making her way up the small path to the front door Scully moved her hand back and forth across the envelope, curious but worried about its contents. Opening the door she heard squealing from her son's bedroom, no doubt Mulder was probably fighting a losing battle.

"I'm home," as she placed her bag next to the front door she slipped the envelope in the bag, not wanting to face its potential at the moment.

"Hey, Scully, can you give me a hand, your son decided to pour a glass of soda all over himself and he's being less than cooperative," Scully smiled as she entered the bedroom seeing her partner trying to remove the sticky clothing from their constantly wriggling son.

"How did he get his hands on soda?" Mulder's face told her immediately.

"I'd rather not discuss that right now, just please hold him still," William squealed again upon seeing his mother and was quick to escape his father's clutches for her arms. Lifting the boy up and placing a kiss on his cheek, Scully thought again of the mysterious piece of mail. Whatever it contained could possibly threaten this unit they'd created, which was something she needed to avoid at all costs. Walking over to where Mulder sat on the floor, defeated, she kissed his forehead before holding their son to him to disrobe. When they had rid William of his sticky clothing, Mulder went to the bathroom, figuring they may as well clean him completely while they had control of him. Ignoring his sticky skin Scully held her son to her chest which instantly calmed him.

"Other than this incident, did he behave today?" the partners were lucky enough to work at the same restaurant and had been guaranteed by their boss to have alternating rosters, meaning of them was always with their son. With each of them alternating between day and night shifts, they were able to have at least three hours together per day, including weekends if there wasn't a staff shortage.

"He was alright, no more difficult than usual. I think he's finally growing out of those extreme temper tantrums." Mulder returned to the bedroom to collect William, pulling Scully up from her position on the floor as well. Moving the boy to his arms, Mulder used his free hand to pull Scully to his chest and gave her a proper greeting. Kissing for a few minutes they enjoyed the quiet time before their son was a bundle of energy again.

"If you wash him I'll make a start on dinner. We need to talk before you leave for work tonight." Kissing him again, Scully moved away and out of the room; once again wondering about of the envelope's contents and what it could mean for them.

xx

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Mulder had an hour before leaving for work for the night, and with William happily occupied with toys in his room, now was the only time to talk uninterrupted. Scully went to where she'd left her bag and pulled out the envelope. Her hands shaking slightly she handed it to Mulder. Holding his breath for a moment as he examined the object, he looked at his partner who was nervously holding her fingers to her lips.

"I found it in the mail box this afternoon. I didn't want to open it without you."

Turning it over Mulder gently lifted the fold and pulled out the card inside. Scully moved closer to him as he turned over the card to find a number written on it followed by '_Call this. Any time. Day or night.'_ Scully didn't know whether to be nervous or relived. On one hand the card didn't seem overly threatening; on the other hand it still didn't explain how their location was known or who it was from. Pulling out his disposable cell phone Mulder began punching in the number.

"What? You're going to call it? Just like that."

"How else are we going to find out who it's from," Scully's heart was beating faster, incredibly worried about what the other end of the phone would bring. Pressing the call button Mulder held the phone to his ear, also as nervous as Scully, patiently waiting for someone to answer. Just as it seemed like no one would pick up he heard the click of a receiver.

"Hello," the voice sounded familiar.

"Hello?" Mulder's voice wavered slightly.

"Well. It's about time you called."


End file.
